PISCO ON PICCADILLY: As far as the restaurant scene in London goes, if it’s not a steak or burger joint, it’s a Peruvian ceviche fest.

Coya is the latest in a string of setups to offer its take on South America’s hottest cuisine. Housed in an impressive Georgian townhouse on Piccadilly, this is the latest endeavor from Arjun Waney, the man behind the equally glossy Zuma in Knightsbridge, and The Arts Club, down the road on Dover Street. It’s the first Peruvian restaurant in London to offer a private members’ club and an extensive pisco offering alongside a menu of tasty ceviches (marinated and diced raw fish), tiraditos (also uncooked, but thinly sliced) and larger dishes, like duck.

Also worth checking out is London’s outpost of SushiSamba, on the 38th floor of a building near Liverpool Street Station. There’s an outdoor terrace with a fire and perhaps the best view of London.— Julia Neel

RUM DIARIES: On All Saints Road in Notting Hill is a little slice of the Caribbean. The team behind the too-much-fun Ping in Earls Court and London’s boozy Love Brunch events are pitching The Rum Kitchen as a “Caribbean-inspired beach shack and cocktail bar.” While the beach is nowhere to be seen, there are cocktails aplenty. And they’re potent, too. Head chef Darren Williamson serves up island treats like ackee salt fish bruschetta, jerk chicken wings and curry mutton.— J.N

AUSTRIA’S FINEST: On Brook Street, just across the road from department store Fenwick and down the road from Claridge’s, heritage Austrian shoemaker Ludwig Reiter has opened its first London shop. Stocking both men’s and women’s shoes and boots, as well as a selection of leather accessories and bags, the shop, though tiny, is a bastion of quality and classic styles. The company was founded in 1885 and once made the boots for the Hapsburg’s security officers. Today, it is still run by the Reiter family, which employs the Goodyear technique for welted shoes and offers a custom-made service using French leather.— J.N

HIT THE BARRE: The simultaneous pleasure and pain of the pulse, barre-style, has made its way across the pond, to Barrecore, where Londoners are now feeling the burn of the barre method. Founded by fitness fiend Niki Rein, who trained in New York with Debbie Frank (the national instructor-trainer for Core Fusion, the original barre/core class), Barrecore is where Londoners — including the style set and a couple of princesses — are heading to get a longer, leaner silhouette through the unique fusion of ballet, Pilates and yoga moves.

In an hour, all the major muscle groups are worked using a ballet barre, one’s own body weight and isometric exercises in an intelligent, fat-burning interval-training format designed to get results quickly. The “barre butt” and the “barre body” are just two goals that Barrecore devotees work toward, as well as toned arms, flat stomachs and more statuesque posture.— J.N

CHE TARA TARA: Paris-based Tara Jarmon has opened a flagship store on Bond Street, selling its mainline label and Mademoiselle Jarmon collection. Set over two floors and more than 1,500 square feet, this shop is all white walls and mirrored surfaces, which serve to show off Jarmon’s trademark interpretation of classic Hollywood glamour. This is the third London store in Jarmon’s portfolio but the first in a major shopping destination — the others are in St John’s Wood and Hampstead.— J.N

BLOOMING BRASSERIE: London-bred and New York-based restaurateur Keith McNally, the man behind beloved Manhattan eateries like Morandi, Pastis and Schiller’s Liquor Bar, has set his sights on London, opening his latest location in Covent Garden. Situated in the old Theatre Museum in a charming brick building called The Flower Cellars, Balthazar London, a French brasserie-style restaurant, will offer breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. While the New York location offers its tried-and-true dishes, this outpost will add a touch of British flair by also serving afternoon tea.—Lorelei Marfil

ECLECTIC EXTENSION: Retail concept store LN-CC plans to unveil its newly revamped Dalston outpost during London Fashion Week. Known for stocking its shelves with a range of international designers, the team behind the eclectic space is showcasing new footwear and leather goods from brands like Balenciaga, Givenchy, Lanvin and Myriam Schaefer.

LN-CC is also adding a dose of music and Mexican spirit to its newly refurbished Chameleon bar. In collaboration with DJ Thomas Bullock of Spirit Bear, the musician was commissioned to curate a variety of one-of-a-kind mezcals.

CHIC CONTRIBUTIONS: The Design Museum received its first stylish donation of more than 400 fashion pieces from Lady Ritblat. An art patron, trustee, barrister and philanthropist, Jill Ritblat contributed pieces through the Art Fund from her own collection, which includes designers like Chanel, Givenchy and Vivienne Westwood. With extensive ties to the arts, Ritblat has been associated with such institutions as the Tate Gallery and the Royal Academy of Music, and donated items to the Victoria & Albert Museum that displayed from 1998 to 1999 at the One Woman’s Wardrobe exhibition.— L.M.

CREATIVE HUB: Apartment 58 will launch its new Soho branch at Centre Point during London Fashion Week. A members-only club for the creative set, the 8,000-square-foot, four-story venue will offer amenities including lockers, a mail service, a lounge, a nightclub and a store. The space will also house a showroom featuring 58 items curated by creative director and fashion design consultant Andrew Ibi and Design Junction.

The new location will also feature a restaurant, which will host a series of pop-ups — the first will dish out New York-style hot dogs. With locations in Notting Hill, Shoreditch and Soho, the team behind this social club plans to expand to Paris, Milan, Berlin, New York and Mumbai by 2015.— L.M.

SATCHEL SANCTUARY: The Cambridge Satchel Co. has set up shop in Covent Garden, opening its doors during London Fashion Week. The range, from classic styles to neon prints, is displayed on shelves made from leather panels from the satchels.

Cambridge will kick off fashion week offering bloggers a stylish space in which to lounge between shows and an in-store embossing machine where customers can personalize their satchels.— L.M.

In honor of Rihanna’s 30th birthday, we took a look back at an interview with the Barbados-native when she was just 18 years old. Here, she talked about her second album, “A Girl Like Me” in 2006. “I want to be me. I want people to fall in love with who Rihanna is, and that’s why I want the album to be about me so people can really find out who this girl Rihanna is, because they only know the ‘Pon de Replay’ girl.” Fast forward 12 years, and she’s released six more albums and has become a powerhouse in both the fashion and music industries. Happy birthday, @badgalriri 🎈(📷: Pavel Antonov) #wwdarchive

For @simonerocha_‘s fall show, hairstylist @jamespecis created a look inspired by the painter John Constable. Models’ hair was pulled back, tied into knots and topped off with a bow. (📷: @kukukuba) #wwdbeauty #lfw

Queen Elizabeth made a surprise appearance at @richardquinn1's London Fashion Week show to present the designer with the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design. The new award will be handed out annually to an emerging British fashion designer who shows exceptional talent, while demonstrating value to the community and sustainable policies. #wwdfashion #lfw (📷: @giovanni_giannoni_photo)